112519c

Catch

They’re out fishing after midnight, Halloween night. Neither one catching a blamed thing.

Why they call this Virgin Lake, Earl?

Ever’body knows that. It’s the girl.

What girl?

The one that drowned. In her car. You remember.

Well, seem like maybe I do. A party, right?

Yep. Halloween night. That’s why we come here tonight. They say she shows herself. Anniversary of her death, an' all.

I don’t wanna see no ghost. I wanna catch fish!

Come to think of it, guess that’s why they ain’t bitin’. Skeered.

Shit, Earl, we gotta go!

You ain’t skeered of no ghost like some dumb fish, are ya, Bobby?

Heck, no. Course I ain't. But the fish ain’t bitin’ nohow.

Huh. You remind me of her.

You knew her?

Took her to that party. She drove, cos my truck needed some work. Pretty little thing.

What’s that noise, Earl?

Frog. Yeah, pretty as she wanna be. But she did me dirt that night. She-- what?

That ain’t no frog.

Well, then it was a fish jumping. Anyway, I just wanted to take her out back. You know. What did she think we were there for, anyway? It sure as hell wasn't cookies and conversation. But she wouldn't give me even a kiss. When I saw how it was, I called her a cold bitch. If she had slapped me I was going to give it back in spades. But she stomped back out the front door. Before I knew it she had taken off with my damn ride.

There it is again. And that ain't no fish, no frog neither.

I'll tell you what I don't think it is. A ghost. You want to hear the rest of story, or not?

So then what?

Plenty of girls there. I found one would do what I wanted. She gave me a ride home afterwards. Next morning we found out what happened. The car in the lake. Girl's body wasn't inside. They dove for her, but they never found anything. I don't know why she did it. Wasn't drunk. Hadn't had a drop to drink. I’d tried to give her some. Thought it would loosen her up.

Damn waste of a fine body. Waste of a fine car, too. '57 Chevy, two-tone, tiptop condition. Well, I guess she ain't gonna show. Let's — holy shit, Bobby! There she is, rising up right behind you! Reaching for you!

Ha ha. The way you screamed and jumped. I had you going. Bet you crapped your pants. You know you did. Get up now and start rowing. Loser rows. Come on. Bobby? Bobby?